The black will never fade to grey
by justforalaugh
Summary: The team go camping and as always it doesn't go quite to plan.
1. Chapter 1

I do not own any of this. ~means past

"Come on Em it'll be fun." Shalimar's eyes flashed as she pulled the Psionic towards the water.

"I'm not dressed for swimming! Shal stop." the red head stuggled against her friends tug.

"Fine go get dressed." Jesse ran past them wearing swimming trunks that showed off his legs.

"I don't own a swimming costume anymore."

"I've got a spare one you can use."

Sighing Emma followed her into the tent. After being handed the costume Shalimar left leaving Emma to get dressed. Changing Emma allowed her self to wander off into own world.

"Stop please! Stop." The child was screaming pleading with her whole body. The cries fell on deaf ears. The man pushed her under the water for the second time. Water splashed up around them. Finally he let her up only for her to plead and beg. Yet again the words were ignored and she was plunged back under.

"Emma? Emma? Emma!!!" Brennan stuck his head round the flap of the tent."You ok, you look like you've seen a ghost?" It wasn't a question as such more of a statement. It was true though, Emma had gone sheet white and was shaking from head to toe.

"Thanks Bren but I'm fine. Just got to get my towel." Emma gripped the towel and headed out to the water.

The moon was high in the sky, lighting Mutant X's camp to reveal the four mutants wet tired but happy. The talk was of the insignificant type. That type that know one really knows how it works or why it happens it just does. Emma's red hair was falling around her face profiling her blue eyes. She watched the fire burn feeling its memorising power.

"Hey, you 'right" Jesse nudged Emma's arms. She nodded.

Brennan got up and placed a blanket round her then lifting her as though she weighed nothing moved her to her tent. "I think you need to go to sleep." Smiling and turning over Emma let her self obey the request, leaving the world behind.

He entered the room closing the door behind him. She shut her eyes tight; maybe if she wished him away he would go. No such luck, she scensed him move towards the bed. "Hush little baby" His hands moved over her turning her over. "Don't you cry" He removed the covers. "Papa's gonna buy you a mocking bird" He undid his shirt. "And if that mockingbird don't sing." The girl went to speak, to cry, to make some sort of movement. "Papa's gonna buy you a diamond ring" Her body shock uncontrollably. "And if that ring turns brass." She wanted it over, over, she wanted it over.

The birds woke Emma up. Moving slowly, she dressed and slipped out trying not to wake Shalimar. Emma walked down to the jetty and dangled her feet in the water.

"Hey Em." Brennan Mulwray sat down. "You sleep ok?" Emma shrugged."No? Come here what's up huh?" Brown eyes stared into blue ones.

"Nothing."

"Emma I know when something is bugging on of my friends and what evers bugging you is big."

"It's nothing really." Brennan gave Emma a look that said I don't believe you. "Well it's, do you remember me saying that I knew where my mom was but not my dad?" Brennan nodded, it was rare that Emma opened up like this and he wasn't going to stop it."Well that was a lie. My Dad lives not far from here. At the house where I grew up. And well..." Emma's voice trailed off as tears came down her cheek.

Brennan moved closer to her, holding her to close to his body until she stopped.

From the camp Shalimar saw the two sitting next to one another. "At last. If they don't get together soon I'll eat my hat."

"Jesse you don't own a hat." Shalimar smiled at him.

"I'll eat one of yours then." Jesse had begun to run before he'd finished the sentence. There were few things that sent Shal into a fit and one of them was threats to her wardrobe. Shalimar flattened him on the ground and began to tickle him.

"Stop please! Stop." Jesse was crying with laughter.

At the jetty Emma tensed as she heard te words. Although she could sense that they held no meaning but still. Brennan felt her tense he hugged her again "we need breakfast, come on." Dragging her up.


	2. Chapter 2

Right here's the second part. Nor really sure where this is going so bear with me.

Shalimar's senses were going crazy, the smell of nature mixed with bacon and eggs was attracting every part of her body and mind. Jesse mean while was more concerned that Shalimar didn't get anywhere near the food until it was ready. "SHALIMAR its not cooked yet." Jesse massed to stop her getting past.

"Move yourself or I will." her eyes glowed gold as her feral side took over.

"You know what I think you need." Emma turned from the sauce pan to look at the feral.

"And what is that?" A wary tone had come into Shal's voice.

"A nice relaxing time where there's no crazy senses,"

"Emma if you weren't stopping me from being mad, I'd be mad at you right now."

Jesse laughed and continued to block Shalimar's way. It was then that Brennan appeared with plates and cups. Emma put the food on the plates and filled each of the cups up.

"That was sooooooooooooooooooooo good!" Shalimar finished off her food and began to eye up Brennan's.

"You dare Shal and you'll be able to light a town." he let blue arks dance through his fingers.

Emma took another bit of bread " Was it better when you had to wait?"

"It sooooooooooooooooooooo was."

"And this way it won't make you ill." Jesse smirked.

Shal jerked her head around "Don't know Jess, Brennan helped too so.."

"You two can do the washing up."Brennan placed his now empty plate on Jesse's lap. "Right I'm off for a run."

The three watched Brennan walk off towards the car get in and drive off. "Interesting 'run' that he's taking" Jesse said.

In the car Brennan looked back at the camp then called Adam.

"Hey Adam?"

"Yep, every thing going ok."

"Fine, umm listen has Emma ever said anything about her Dad?"

"Not to me. But I can look in the Geomex files, they had you all under good surveillance in the beginning. Can I ask why"

Brennan could hear Adam start typing at the computer. "No thank just send the files."

"And as for why? I presume that this is some over protective stunt that if Emma found out she would melt your mind?"

"Adam are you sure that Emma's the psionic one?"

"Brennan!"

"Ok ok, it's just she said something about her father living near here and I was wounded.."

"Leave it. Brennan do you understand that. L E A V E I T! If Emma tells you then that's fine but otherwise. Leave it."

"Alright." Brennan terminated the link. Why would Adam be so instint that he shouldn't press the subject? What was it about Emma and her family that she didn't want anyone to know? Brennan hit the steering wheel in frustration.

The child pushed the front door open. She tip-toed in, already knowing that her parents were in. Moving as quietly as possible she headed for the stairs. The girl manged to get to her bedroom door before.

"Come here." She froze. If she went in she was safe, for awhile, if she stayed still he might leave, if she went then it might not be so bad. Too late, he had already made up his mind. He swung his fist catching the side of her face and lip. Blood immediately starting dripping from the lip. "Have you forgotten the rules?" He held her wrist tight. The child shook her head. "I think you have. I think you need to be reminded of the rules." He dragged her to the top of the stairs.

"Rule number one do as you're told." The man gave her a push and the child fell, she felt every step, every hard surface connecting with her body.

At the camp Jesse was washing uo the dishes, while the girls sun bathed on the lake side. Jesse smiled to himself, how fortunate he was that he had here two of the most beautiful women in the world. However there was one thing wrong, they weren't paying him any attention. He'd have to change that.

"That's not true, I am paying you attention, I think about how sweet it is that you've agreed to wash the plated for us." there was almost an audio-able giggle in Emma's voice.

"Was he thinking about us?"

"Uhuh, he was think about how he was lucky and that we should pay more attention to him."

"More attention huh? I think I could do that. Jesse come here." Shal beckoned him.

Jesse moved towards the girls holding something behind his back. Shal extended her hand. He moved closer. Then splash! A cup of water washed down over the blond's hair. This invited a full on war, no holes barred.

By the time Brennan returned all three mutants were on the ground laughing.

Night fell on the camp and the mutants retired to bed. But just 2 miles away in a small wooded cabin a man sat looking at the pictures he'd taken that morning while fishing. "So young lady you're back. Now I wonder if you remember the rules."


End file.
